Meet Jennie – Mama & Career Coach
What we love most about our platform is getting the chance to connect with all of you and in turn hoping to connect you with other amazing mamas in our community! We meet moms at our meetups, our events, and even around town at the grocery store or kid’s activities. We absolutely love it!
Today’s mama feature is one we met at swim lessons at Houston Swim Club! Jennie came up to us and said the kindest words about our platform and this community and it meant so much to us. She said KMN really helped her know the ins and outs of Katy, as she was new to the community. Being self-proclaimed name forgetters (but almost always remembering a face!) we vowed to not forget Jennie – remembering her as Jennie from Seattle.
The coolest thing about connecting with moms is, overtime you get to learn more about their passions outside of motherhood. Whether it’s something small or something big, there’s always that something that burns a passion in all us. And for Jennie, helping people realize their career goals is that burn that sets her soul on fire.
Jennie gets people. In fact, she’s built a career on people. Since 2003, she’s worked in Human Resources for two Fortune 500 companies, and whether she was a recruiter, manager, or creator of development programs—it’s always been about people- and helping them find what’s right for them.
While still balancing her career in HR, Jennie launched her own business as a career coach in the summer of 2019. Once just a side hustle, just last week Jennie left her career in HR to focus on her business full time. We love this by the way- takes guts to walk away from what feels safe and secure and jump into something that’s scary, but sets your soul on fire!
This mama just truly wants to help people realize their true potential, their true calling in life. Maybe you’re soul searching (and you’re not sure what you want to do with your life) or negotiating a higher salary or trying to figure out what kind of leader you want to be. Whatever it is that’s made you start thinking about your development, Jennie have the tools for you. Her goal is to give you what you need on-demand and also give you the option to schedule a call or 1:1 meeting with her if that meets your needs.
We are so very proud of this mama on this new journey and endeavor and we are thrilled to help her shout it from the rooftops! We as women need to stick together, build each other up, help guide one another. Jennie’s services do all this and more and we’re so excited to see all the good she’s going to do for people and their careers!
Check out our interview with Jennie below and snag a special discount code if you want to try out her services!
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the Katy area?
I was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. My husband, Kyle and I lived in Seattle, WA for 6 years before we moved to Katy, TX in November of 2018.
How many kiddos do you have and how old are they?
We have one son, Willie, who just turned 4.
What’s your favorite thing about raising a family in Katy?
Oh goodness – it’s hard to pick one! The ease of community here is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. People are so friendly, and they bring you into their world so quickly. I truly feel like we hit the jackpot.
Least favorite mom job? (i.e. packing lunches, dishes, bath time, etc.)
Dang, there are a few, if I’m being honest! Top two worst Mom “jobs” for me are Monday morning school drop off and bedtime. Both wear me out! If anyone has tips, I am all ears!
Best mom hack that makes life easier?
My son has a really hard time when babysitters come, always has, ever since he was an infant. Like lots of tears and the dreaded death grip. It never made date night that fun when we left him like that! So, we made the “babysitter box.” We went to Target and he picked out the box and when the babysitter comes, I put an activity in there for them to do that he’s excited about and so far…no more tears when we leave! It doesn’t have to be big – I usually grab something from the $1 bin at Target. They painted pumpkins, just decorated a gingerbread house…fun stuff that feels like a surprise and something special just for them!
What are your favorite local things to do in Katy? (with kiddos or just for mom!)
My husband and I love No Label Brewery – it’s perfect with friends on a nice day and the kiddos get to play and have fun too. We recently discovered Dewberry Farm and are big fans!
We’re big on self-care for moms, as hard as it is to find the time, what’s something you do just for yourself?
Getting my nails done is such a simple thing but makes me feel like a million bucks. I go to All-Natural Nail & Spa in Old Katy and I love it there. It’s a quiet, small shop with the most wonderful service. It’s a nice little get away for me.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
My career in HR was completely unplanned, my degree is in early child development and I was a Kindergarten teacher after college. When I was in my 20’s my best friend lived in Chicago and I decided (on a whim) to move there from Minneapolis. Much to my parents’ chagrin, I moved without a job (oh to be 20 again!) and just knew in my heart something would work out and …it did. That’s how I got into HR! I interviewed at a search firm so they could help me find a job and in the middle of the interview they asked, “have you ever considered being a recruiter?” The rest in history, 16 years later I have sat in every seat in HR (except pay & benefits).
When did you begin your Jennie Reis Coaching & Consulting, and what was the inspiration behind it?
I officially launched in the summer of 2019. The inspiration behind my business came from my own experience. I remember it like it was yesterday – about two years ago I was just in a miserable place. I was unsatisfied with my career/job, I had no motivation, I had a 2-year-old that was a handful…I knew I needed to find more fulfillment in order for my life to feel more complete. What I struggled with the most was I had it “all.” I had an amazing career, a beautiful baby, a loving husband, my health, supportive family and friends and I just couldn’t find the good in any of it. That feeling lead to where I am today. It offered me the chance to step back and ask myself what’s important to me now and how I can find “me” again. How can I find my purpose?
What services will you be offering your clients?
Through my website www.jenniereis.com, clients can find blog posts, workbooks and the option to set up 1:1 coaching sessions with me. What’s exciting to me is each 1:1 session is personalized based on what my client needs. I have activities, resources and books to assist people in their journey to find more fulfillment in their day-to-day.
When clients come to you, what are they hoping for and what is your main goal?
Most of my clients come to me because they are looking for clarity. Some of the clients I have worked with are experiencing unfulfilling work, their career is too demanding or they’re looking for a complete career/industry switch and don’t know where to start. I’ve also had people come to me that need help getting promoted or have a really crappy boss. It’s the big and little things that I can help people work through. My goal is to help others find the clarity to identify what’s important and why. From there we build a plan and take one step at a time to reach the goal. Based on my experience, I am able to offer practical and tactical HR advice (i.e. how to build a resume or network) but also help strategize on bigger picture goals and how to achieve them.
What is your advice to a stay at home mama that is ready to get back into the work force and start a career again?
I would say – congratulations and you’ve got this! What an exciting time for you. I’m sure there are things that will feel too big to tackle at times. In order to help manage that, identify a few things up front that will help you break the process down into smaller pieces. These are questions you can reflect on when the going gets tough:
- Write down why you want to get back into the work force and why it’s important to you.
- What are you excited about and what scares you?
- Who are you going to lean on for support during this time?
Check out my workbook, New Job? Where do I start https://www.jenniereis.com/workbooks-shop/new-job It’s a great workbook for only $29 and it will help break the process down for you, step-by-step!
What did you do before opening your own business?
I’ve worked in multiple corporate HR roles for over 16 years – most recently at headquarters for Amazon.com in Seattle, WA and Target in
Minneapolis, MN.
How do you balance being a mom and diving into to launching your own business?
I found ways to carve out time each week to work on getting work done for my business. For example, there’s not much time on the weekends for me to focus on it with family commitments and my son’s activities. So, each week, typically over a lunch hour, I’d crank out 30-45 minutes’ worth of work. Sometimes I’d just make a list! This launch took me almost a year, so it didn’t happen overnight, but it was the right pace for me.
Do you experience the dreaded mom guilt, and if so, how do you deal?
Of course, I definitely do. I experience what I call “the confusion of motherhood.” What I mean by that is there are days when all I want is peace and quiet, to do whatever I want and be alone. But…when I’m alone, I’m scrolling through pictures of my son and texting my husband asking, “what are my favorite fellas up to?” It’s like I want to be in 2 places at once! It’s a struggle for me but I have come to realize that I am such a better mom, wife, sister, daughter and friend when I take a break.
When parenting gets hard, what’s something you tell yourself that gets you through?
I tell myself “nothing lasts.” It’s all just a moment in time so try to keep things in perspective. It’s hard to remember that when I’m in the thick of it and about to lose my cool but I try my best so I can manage through the hard moments. Also, reaching out to other mamas to get insight or just to vent. It helps normalize whatever stage we’re in at the moment.
What would you tell the old “You” before you had kids?
I would say “you were never tired or busy!” Ha! Honestly, I just talked to my husband about this the other day. “Remember when we thought we were tired before kids and complained about being busy?” Goodness – we had no idea. I guess I would say just enjoy it as it comes. There will be a lot of ups and down and you will be pushed as a parent and a wife beyond what you have ever experienced but you can handle it. Stay true to who you are, ask for help and you can do it.
What are your future plans for your coaching & consulting business?
Right now, it’s one day at a time! I just “officially” launched from this being a side gig to full-time so I’m just so darn excited to see where this grows based on what my clients need from me. I’m thrilled to be doing what I love and what I consider to be very, real and rewarding work.
For more info on Jennie’s new venture, visit her website and be sure to follow along with her on FB & IG! We also got you guys a special discount code if you want to try our her services!
WEBSITE:
www.jenniereis.com
DISCOUNT: KMN special: 50% off a coaching session if you book in January (promo code JANUARY)
INSTAGRAM: @jenniereis_coaching
FACEBOOK: @JennieReisCoaching